Introduction:Education is the backbone of a nation. No nation can make progress without it. But it is a matter of great regret that illiteracy exists on a mass scale in our country. As a result, no development programme can work effectively in our country. so our government and people have begun a campaign against illiteracy. The aim of this campaign is to give the illiterate masses the knowledge of the three R s.it does not aim at giving higher education to all but to enable them to read and write in a short period of time.

Role of students in the campaign: Students have a big role to play in making this campaign success. As part of this campaign our government have taken a number of measures. The first thing for the students to do is to support these measures and to co-operate with their respective local authorities in carrying these measures into effect. They can help in setting up basic schools and night schools in different places of the country and can teach the illiterate adult how to read and write in those schools.

Responsibility of senior students: There are lost of boys and girls of school going age in our country. Some go to schools and many do not. In this way, the majority of our children are growing illiterate. Here the senior students of our country have a lot to do. They can persuade the parents to send their illiterate children to schools.

Nationwide programme necessary: Students should realize that voluntary effort to remove illiteracy cannot solve the problem immediately. They should, therefore, come forward and take a nationwide programme to fight against the course of illiteracy by using the services of the entire student community. The provision that every student should teach at least two illiterate adults how to read and write as part of his regular course of studies should be given effect with utmost sincerity. Students also can use the local education institutions especially the primary schools as the main centers for spreading mass literacy.

Conclusion:The role of the students in the mass literacy campaign is indeed great if they rise to the occasion and come forward with all sincerity, our country may get rid of the curse of illiteracy to a great extent in a short period of time.